The Outskirts of Mandalay and Beyond

Having been in Mandalay for over a week, I had taken in most of the important sites in the confines of the city itself. On the spur of the moment, a colleague and I decided it was time to head to the outskirts and beyond to see some of the points of interest a little farther afield. We packed our bags, sorted out a ride, and made the most of the day’s good weather by taking in a handful of greater Mandalay’s sights.

Wat Rong Khun: Chiang Rai’s White Temple

After the hostel we’d booked in Chiang Rai closed without warning and a disastrous attempt to book a Green Bus months in advance, it seemed that our visit to the White Temple wasn’t going to happen. However, after we exhausted all of Chiang Mai’s sights with a day left to spare, we plucked up the courage to rent a car and simply drove there instead.